Book Notes: Reading project includes film-noir series

This may be a column devoted to books, but the Big Read is changing all of that.

As part of February’s community-wide reading project – which is sponsored by Spokane Public Library, the Spokane County Library District and the Fairchild Air Force Base library – a film-noir series will continue during the coming week.

Why film noir? Because the book chosen for the monthlong event is Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 novel “The Maltese Falcon,” which is perhaps best known because of John Huston’s 1941 film version (which stars Humphrey Bogart).

So the sponsoring entities have included a number of noir screenings, from Huston’s film to “The Big Sleep,” “Double Indemnity,” “The Third Man” and “L.A. Confidential.”

All showings are free and open to the public:

“5:30 p.m. Tuesday, “The Maltese Falcon,” downtown branch, Spokane Public Library, 906 W. Main Ave. Call (509) 444-5300.

“7 p.m. Wednesday, “The Big Sleep,” Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave., Spokane Valley. Call (509) 893-8400.

“7 p.m. Thursday, “The Maltese Falcon,” North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Road. Call (509) 893-8350.

Limericks wanted

The 11th annual Spokesman-Review Limericks Contest continues to look for a few good entries.

This year’s theme is “An Inland Northwest voter’s guide to 2008 presidential politics.” All entries should adhere to good limericks style and must be submitted no later than noon on March 10.

There are three categories: sixth-grade and below, middle and high school, and open. Prizes are Auntie’s Bookstore gift certificates in the respective amounts of $25, $50 and $75.

E-mail all entries to limerick@spokesman.com. Send by mail to Limericks Contest, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201.

College days

Copies of “The Gathering Place: A History of North Idaho College,” which was written by NIC English instructor Fran Bahr, are on sale for $29.95.

The book, which documents the college’s 75-year history, is the product of nine years’ work. For further information or to order the book, call (208) 769-7764.

Slam winners

Kevin Ma and Sarah Woodroof placed first and second, respectively, in the inaugural Inland Northwest Poetry Out Loud poetry slam on Feb. 6.

Both students, who are freshmen at Mead High School, will compete on Saturday in the state final at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma.

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public.

Book talk

“Friends of the Cheney Community Library Book Discussion Group (“The Glass Castle: A Memoir,” by Jeannette Walls, discussion leader Sonja Matison), 7 p.m. Tuesday, Cheney Community Library, 610 First St., Cheney. Call (509) 893-8280.

“Spokane Valley Library Book Discussion Group (“The Whistling Season,” by Ivan Doig), 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Spokane Valley Library.

“Tinman Book Club (“The Highest Tide,” by Jim Lynch), 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Tinman Gallery, 811 W. Garland Ave. Call (509) 325-1500.

“Big Read discussion (“Hammett, the Falcon and the Hard-boiled Detective,” led by Vic Bobb), 7 p.m. Wednesday, North Spokane Library.

“Big Read discussion (“The Maltese Falcon,” by Dashiell Hammett), 2 p.m. Thursday, Moran Prairie Library, 6004 S. Regal St. Call (509) 893-8340.

“Who Reads What Book Discussion Series (“Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” by Lisa See), 7 p.m. Thursday, Colfax branch, Whitman County Library, 102 S. Main St., Colfax. Call (509) 397-4366.

“Spokane Fiction Writers Group, noon Saturday, Argonne branch, Spokane County Library, 4322 N. Argonne Road. Call Steve Hughes at (509) 891-1695.

The reader board

“Robert Hass (“Time and Materials”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Cataldo Globe Room, Gonzaga University. Call (509) 323-6681.

“Earl Emerson (“Primal Threat”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington. Call (509) 459-5483.

“Judy Laddon, Sally Pierone (“Sally: The Older Woman’s Illustrated Guide to Self-Improvement”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Auntie’s Bookstore.

“Reader’s Theatre: “The Maltese Falcon,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jundt Auditorium, Gonzaga University. Call (509) 328-4220.